The destiny of all heavens begins in the Red Chamber

Wang Xifeng was just a steward in the inner palace; her real power was limited.

To truly seize control of the Rong Mansion, she would inevitably have to fall out with Madam Wang. Right now, she doesn't have the mindset or the confidence to do so, but it's hard to say what will happen in the future.

She was currently facing a headache and told Jia Lian directly, "Today, the old lady suddenly complained to me that there are too many gossipy people in the mansion!"

"Look at how badly they've slandered the Lai family! I need to discipline them properly!"

"What does Second Grandma plan to do?"

Jia Lian felt a chill run down his spine. Although he knew that this matter would eventually reach the old lady's ears, he did not expect it to happen so quickly, and that the old lady would take the initiative to ask for restraint.

I couldn't help but feel a little resentful!

Although I knew this would be the outcome, I was still unhappy to hear it.

Isn't the old lady's attention to the Lai family a bit too much?

Although the rumors circulating in the manor were somewhat malicious, most of them were verifiable.

When the old lady heard the rumors, her first thought wasn't to investigate, but to ask Wang Xifeng to suppress the matter. She was truly considerate.

As far as Jia Lian knew, the Lai family, including Lai Da and his wife, did not make any moves, and did not even intend to disturb the old lady. It was obviously the old lady who brought up the matter.

Chapter 54 Actively Clinging to Powerful Figures (Please Read On)

Faced with the old lady's request, Wang Xifeng planned to outwardly comply but inwardly defy her this time.

What a joke! The Lai family might become her and Jia Lian's rivals in the future. How could she possibly help the Lai family dispel rumors?

It's already a great favor to the old lady that they didn't secretly continue to fuel the flames.

However, no one expected that Jia Huan would undergo such a drastic change, as if he had gone mad.

Ever since he was tricked by Madam Wang and almost received family punishment from Master Zheng, but escaped unscathed, this guy seems to have become a completely different person, I don't know what he was thinking.

Every day, whenever Master Zheng was in the Mengpo Studio in the main study, he would take the initiative to go over and greet him after school.

Is this still the Rong family's second son, who used to be like a mouse before a cat when he saw his father?

It should be noted that although Jia Huan was not as terrified as Jia Baoyu, who would tremble and stutter when he saw Master Zheng, he was almost the same.

But now, he goes to the main study, Mengpo Studio, every day to pay his respects, as if he is no longer afraid of the sternness of the Second Master Zheng.

Such a change amazed everyone in the Rong Mansion.

Only Lin Daiyu wasn't too moved. Isn't it normal to feel closer to blood relatives?

"You worthless brat, do you think you can gain the master's attention like this? Dream on!"

Madam Wang, however, was in a bad mood, and every time she heard such news, she couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Unfortunately, her attempts to persuade Jia Baoyu to get closer to Master Zheng were largely thwarted.

Jia Baoyu's reaction is the normal behavior of the gentlemen of the Rong family.

It's already a good thing if they can avoid Master Zheng Er; how could they possibly go out of their way to approach him?

I initially thought that Jia Huan's actions wouldn't last long.

But who knew that this guy was incredibly resilient and persisted for more than half a year.

At first, Master Zheng was naturally impatient. What could he possibly say to a six-year-old child?

It would be much better to spend that time listening to the praises of the guests.

Jia Huan was quite tactful. At the beginning, besides bowing and greeting, he simply talked about the affairs of the clan school and informed Master Zheng of some of the true situation of the clan school.

Don't assume he wasn't trying hard enough when it comes to exams!

In truth, there is limited knowledge to be gained at the clan school, and Jia Dairu did not teach much.

If it's just memorization, it's not a big problem. But if you want to deeply understand the knowledge and content you've learned, then you shouldn't expect too much.

Clearly, the Second Master Zheng was not well prepared for this.

At first, I found it quite interesting; some small things that happened in the clan school could indirectly reflect the specific situation of the clan school.

Whether it is operating normally, whether the students of the ethnic minority school are studying diligently, etc.

The Second Master Zheng listened with great interest, though his expression remained impassive, his usual stern and serious face quite deceptive.

He would occasionally scold Jia Huan, showing he wasn't very satisfied with Jia Huan's performance at the clan school.

Of course, that's all there is to it; it's not accurate to say that Jia Huan performed particularly poorly.

At least, the scholars who were also listening in changed their opinion of Jia Huan from being dismissive to actually looking at him with more respect.

When Master Zheng was reprimanding him, he also offered a few words of advice from behind.

After all, the situation of the clan school is clear at a glance!

Jia Huan explained it several times, and the scholars and gentlemen who were there naturally understood what was going on, but they didn't say much, after all, it was the Jia family's school of thought.

It is obvious that Jia Dairu was old and frail with limited energy. He couldn't even manage a dozen or so primary school students. In addition, his own abilities were limited. How could he possibly cultivate talents for the imperial examinations?

Among the group of scholars and gentlemen supported by Master Zheng, some had their own ideas.

After all, it must be tiring to praise the Second Master Zheng every day.

After saying too much, even I felt embarrassed, and I even felt that I had run out of praise to say.

Who knew that one day the Second Master Zheng would get tired of their flattery and suddenly have no source of income?

If one could become a teacher in the Jia family school, one would have a stable job.

According to Jia Huan, there weren't many students at the clan school; a dozen or so were enough to take care of.

As for the income of the clan school teachers, a little inquiry was enough to make the eager young men envious.

Students receive free lunch and snacks between classes, as well as writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones; the teachers' treatment is even better.

The official amount of money given by the clan alone is as much as twenty taels a year.

Not to mention, there are other hidden sources of income.

During festivals, the clan would distribute a welfare benefit, which would be physical goods such as meat, eggs, or cloth.

There were also gifts from the students' families, which added up to more than thirty taels of silver!

The total amount, including the silver given by the clan, exceeded fifty taels!

This is no small sum of money. In the capital, it would be more than enough to provide a comfortable life for the whole family, and they would also have the protection of the Jia family.

To be honest, this kind of job is really suitable for those who are preparing for the imperial examinations.

Putting aside other matters, anyone who could become a retainer under Master Zheng must have been quite capable.

They were all scholars with genuine talent, and it wouldn't be surprising if they were even successful candidates in the provincial examinations.

Most of them were people who had given up hope of passing the imperial examinations, but there were also some who still had ambition.

Regardless, some of the scholars and gentlemen who were scholars and gentlemen became interested in the position of clan school teacher.

It just so happens that Jia Huan, a student at the clan school, comes to pay his respects to Master Zheng every day.

Sometimes when Master Zheng was not around, some thoughtful scholars would seize the opportunity to chat with Jia Huan, and the topic always revolved around the clan school.

Over time, Jia Huan and most of the retainers around Master Zheng became familiar with each other, and some even became quite acquainted.

Jia Huan wasn't stupid; he quickly realized what some of the guests were thinking.

This is a good thing!

This is Jia Huan's true thought; it's simply a matter of being realistic.

Jia Dairu himself has limited knowledge, and now he is old and frail. He doesn't even have enough energy to teach a dozen or so primary school students for a day. How can we expect him to produce any talent?

On the contrary, the scholars and gentlemen under Master Zheng's patronage were all in their prime.

Moreover, to become a retainer of the Second Master Zheng, regardless of one's own academic knowledge, one must definitely be someone who is adept at adapting and being flexible.

He was able to set aside his scholarly airs and praise the Second Master Zheng for years, even decades, without wavering. Such patience and verbal skills are truly remarkable.

It must be said that what the Jia family school may lack is this kind of teacher!

Even if it doesn't work out, it's still better than Uncle Dai Ru, that much is certain.

Some of the scholars and guests had their own thoughts and ideas, and their attitudes toward Jia Huan changed subtly.

He actively tried to build a good relationship with Jia Huan, and even took the initiative to speak well of Jia Huan to Master Zheng.

Chapter 55: A Little Change (Please continue reading)

Habit is a terrible force!

The second master in power got used to Jia Huan, his illegitimate son, who would come to pay his respects every day, rain or shine, and his originally rigid attitude gradually softened.

He is a normal person, a normal father.

If a child is his own, he can take the initiative to show affection, and even if the child is an illegitimate son, he will feel good about him.

Not to mention, Jia Huan had been talking to him about the situation at the clan school for a long time.

This was rare, and it was the first time he had listened carefully to specific practical situations.